How to Help Seniors to Prepare for a Hurricane

Seniors in our communities and those seniors who live alone may need help preparing their home for bad weather, particularly if they have outdoor furniture or a lot of outdoor items that need securing.

If you know of a senior who may need assistance with getting supplies, offer to pick up a few extra items from the grocery or hardware stores.

Here are some tips to safely make it through the storm:

Make copies of important documents such as passport, insurance policies and medical information. A safe deposit box at the bank is the safest place for the important documents, but if they are kept at home, they should be put into a waterproof container or vacuum-sealed storage bag.

Have a written list of emergency contacts next to all phones in the house.

Secure windows and blinds, particularly if they might be prone to blow open during high winds.

Ensure that seniors have another form of communication, such as a cell phone if the landlines go down. Make sure the cell phone is fully charged before a hurricane and keep extra batteries on hand.

Help a senior in your neighbourhood who you know lives alone to put together an emergency action plan.

Make your own block ice, this lasts longer than ice cubes and can be used to keep food in the refrigerator and freezer cold should the power go out. Ice blocks can be made in larger plastic containers and frozen in advance of a storm.

If a senior receives damage to their home, provide them with the contact information of someone honest and trustworthy that they can contact to help them.